Optical cable exit trough

ABSTRACT

A cable exit trough is mountable to a lateral trough section either during initial assembly of the cable routing system, or at a later date. The exit trough includes a bracket portion mountable to the top edge of one of the sides of the lateral trough section. Two lead-ins are provided to lead the cable in an upward direction from the lateral trough section to the exit trough. The exit trough includes an exit trough portion extending from the bracket portion upwardly away from the lateral trough section. The exit trough portion includes a convexly curved bottom trough surface, and two convexly curved upstanding sides. The exit trough portion and the lead-ins define a cable pathway from the lateral trough section to an exit point of the exit trough portion which can either lead downwardly relative to the lateral trough section, or horizontally.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention pertains to a system for the management and routing ofoptical fiber cables.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the telecommunications industry, the use of optical fibers for signaltransmissions is accelerating. With the increased utilization of opticalfiber systems, optical fiber cable management requires industryattention.

One area where optical fiber management is necessary is the routing ofoptical fibers from one piece of optical fiber equipment to another. Forexample, in a telecommunications facility, optical fiber cables may berouted between fiber distribution equipment and optical line terminatingequipment. In buildings and other structures which carry such equipment,the cable routing can take place in concealed ceiling areas or in anyother manner to route cables from one location to another.

When routing optical fibers, it is desirable that any routing systemwill be readily modifiable and adaptable to changes in equipment needs.Accordingly, a routing system is not practical which would require ahigh capital outlay and which could not be readily adapted to changes ina customer's needs. Namely, if routing paths, once established, areforever fixed, the system cannot adapt. Also, and perhaps mostimportant, any routing system must protect optical fibers from damage.In the use of optical fibers, it is recognized that the fibers shouldnot be bent beyond a minimum radius of curvature. For example, it iscommonly recognized that optical fibers should not be bent in a radiusof less than 1.5 inches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, a cablerouting system is disclosed for routing optical fiber cables betweenoptical transmission equipment. The system includes a lateral troughsection configured for defining a cable pathway. An exit trough ismountable to the lateral trough section to provide a cable exit pathwayfrom the lateral trough section. The exit trough includes a bracketportion mountable to a top edge of the lateral trough section. Twocurved lead-ins on opposite ends of the bracket portion each define acable pathway leading to an exit trough portion extending from a middleof the bracket portion in a direction away from the lateral troughsection. The exit trough portion includes a convexly curved bottomtrough surface, and two convexly curved upstanding sides on oppositesides of the bottom trough surface. The exit trough defines a cablepathway leading upwardly and away from the lateral trough section. Theexit trough is mountable to the lateral trough section withoutmodification to the lateral trough section. The exit trough can beplaced generally at any location along the lateral trough section, andcan be placed during initial system setup, or at a later time as theneed arises for an exit pathway from the lateral trough section, such aswhen new optical transmission equipment is added to the system. At leastone fastener secures the bracket portion to the lateral trough section.The exit trough may include a downspout portion defining a downwardlydirected cable pathway, or a horizontal portion defining a horizontallydirected cable pathway, or other directional pathway as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top, front, and left side perspective view of a lateraltrough section and an exit trough mounted thereto according to onepreferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom, back, and right side perspective view of the firstembodiment.

FIG. 3 is a back view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the first embodiment, and showing the lateraltrough section in cross-section through a middle of the lateral troughsection.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a left cross-sectional side view through the center of thelateral trough section and through the exit trough.

FIG. 9 is a top, front, and left side perspective view of a lateraltrough section and an exit trough mounted thereto according to thesecond preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a bottom, back, and right side perspective view of the secondembodiment.

FIG. 11 is a back view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the second embodiment, and showing thelateral trough section in cross-section through a middle of the lateraltrough section.

FIG. 13 is a left side view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a top view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the second embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a left cross-sectional side view through the center of thelateral trough section and through the exit trough.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-8, a first embodiment of an exit trough 100 isshown mounted to a lateral trough section 20. Lateral trough section 20defines a cable pathway 22 for routing optical fiber cables betweenlocations. Lateral trough section 20 and exit trough 100 can be part ofa cable routing system typically within a structure, such as a buildinghaving optical fiber signal transmitting equipment. Lateral troughsection 20 typically is suspended from a ceiling structure by anysuitable means (not shown). U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,067,678 and 5,316,243disclose various cable routing systems, including lateral troughsections like lateral trough section 20 illustrated in FIGS. 1-8. Exittrough 100 is not only usable with lateral trough section 20 shown inFIGS. 1-8, but also with other cable routing systems disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,067,678 and 5,316,243, the disclosures of which are herebyincorporated by reference, and other cable routing systems.

Generally, lateral trough section 20 includes first and secondupstanding sides 24, 26, and a bottom 28 extending therebetween anddefining cable pathway 22. Side 24 includes a top edge 30. Opposite side26 also includes similar top edge 32. Lateral trough section 20 includesa plurality of attachment members 34 on an outside portion for use inattaching lateral trough sections 20 together end to end, or addingother system hardware.

As will be described below, exit trough 100 mounts to lateral troughsection 20 adjacent to top edge 30 of side 24 through attachment member34. Exit trough 100 creates a cable exit pathway from lateral troughsection 20.

Exit trough 100 includes a bracket portion 102 including an outerprojecting member 104, an inner projecting member 106, and a connectingmember 108. Bracket portion 102 generally defines a U-shape for receiptof a portion of side 24 such that top edge 30 is positioned adjacent toconnecting member 108. Exit trough 100 conveniently and securely mountsto lateral trough section 20 via one or more fasteners 170 positionedthrough outer projecting member 104 and engaged with attachment member34 of lateral trough section 20, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5-8. Asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, outer projecting member 104 includes separatespaced apart portions 104 a, 104 b, 104 c. Alternatively, the individualportions 104 a-c could be constructed as a single piece. Portion 104 aincludes a slot 172 for receipt of fastener 170 during assembly. Theother portions 104 b and 104 c include similar slots.

For protection of the optical fiber cables, inner projecting member 106of bracket portion 102 includes tapered ends 110, 112, and a taperedmiddle 114. Bracket portion 102 generally extends from a first end 116to a second end 118. A middle 120 is positioned between the first andsecond ends 116, 118. At first and second ends 116, 118, two cablelead-ins 124, 134 are provided. First lead-in 124 includes an uppersurface portion 126 having an upwardly curved shape. A downwardlydepending flange 128 extends toward bottom 28 of lateral trough section20. Flange 128 is spaced apart from inner projecting member 106 ofbracket portion 102 to define a cable pathway 130. Second lead-in 134 atan opposite end of bracket portion 102 faces in an opposite direction tofirst lead-in 124. Second lead-in 134 includes a similarly configuredupwardly curved surface 136, and a downwardly depending flange 138defining a cable pathway 140 for cables entering exit trough 100 from anopposite end of lateral trough section 20.

Exit trough 100 includes an exit trough portion 144 extending frombracket portion 102 at middle 120 away from lateral trough section 20.Exit trough portion 144 includes a bottom trough surface 146 andupstanding sides 148, 150 on opposite sides of bottom trough surface146. Generally bottom trough surface 146 extends upwardly and away fromtop edge 30 of lateral trough section 20, and includes a convex shape.Upstanding sides 148, 150 extend from each respective lead-in 124, 134,and also define convex shapes. Exit trough portion 144 defines a cablepathway 152 linked to cable pathway 22 of lateral trough section 20 viacable pathways 130, 140 of lead-ins 124, 134.

In exit trough 100, exit trough portion 144 links lateral trough section20 to a downspout 160. Downspout 160 generally provides a cable pathwayfor cable exiting in a downward direction relative to lateral troughsection 20. Downspout 160 is supported by two side ribs 164 and a centerrib 166 connected to bracket portion 104 b.

With exit trough 100 mounted to lateral trough section 20, cableextending generally horizontally to the ground through lateral troughsection 20 is allowed to route upwardly and away from lateral troughsection 20, and then to route downwardly through downspout 160 forconnection to optical transmission equipment, or other uses. Downspout160 is connectable via any suitable means to other cable routingcomponents, such as vertical troughs or conduit, as desired. The variouscurves provided with exit trough 100 help protect the optical fibercables from being bent beyond a minimum radius of curvature.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-16, a second embodiment of an exit trough 200is shown. Like parts to parts in exit trough 100 are identified by thesame reference numerals noted above for exit trough 100. Exit trough 200differs in two main respects. First, instead of downspout 160, secondexit trough 200 includes a horizontal portion 202 leading from exittrough portion 244. Horizontal portion 202 includes a generallyhorizontal bottom 204 and two upstanding sides 206, 208 leading fromexit trough portion 244. Two side ribs 264, and a center rib 266extending from bracket portion 102 support horizontal portion 202.Horizontal portion 202 is useful for linking lateral trough section 20to other cable routing components interconnectable to horizontal portion202 through any suitable means. Fastener recesses 210 are shown as oneexample of suitable structures for mounting to other components.

A second main difference between the second exit trough 200 and thefirst exit trough 100, is that lead-ins 224, 234 and exit trough portion244 are sized to define larger cable pathways 230, 240, and 252.Specifically, upper surface portions 226, 236 and flanges 228, 238 aresized for defining the larger pathways 230, 240 relative to pathways130, 140 of first exit trough 100. Also upstanding sides 248, 250 aretaller and spaced further apart to define larger pathway 252 relative topathway 152 of first exit trough 100. This illustrates that relativesizes of the features of exit troughs 100, 200 can be varied dependingon the cable routing needs in the system.

Each of the disclosed exit troughs 100, 200 allows for exit pathwaysfrom the lateral trough section 20 without modification to the lateraltrough section 20. This is useful during initial system setup, and alsoduring modifications of the system at later dates. Exit troughs 100, 200can be added at any time quickly and easily. Cable damage is avoidedsince any cables in lateral trough section 20 are not disturbed and donot have to be moved when exit troughs 100, 200 are added. Also, simplefasteners are all that is needed to mount the bracket portion 102 of theexit troughs 100, 200 to the lateral trough section 20. In addition tothe downspout 160, and the horizontal portion 202, other directionalcomponents are possible from exit trough portions 144, 244 of each exittrough 100, 200.

Having described the present invention in a preferred embodiment,modifications and equivalents may occur to one skilled in the art. It isintended that such modifications and equivalents shall be includedwithin the scope of the claims which are appended hereto.

1. A cable exit trough mountable to a lateral trough section, thelateral trough section including an upstanding side terminating in a topedge, the exit trough comprising: a U-shaped bracket portion sized toreceive a portion of the upstanding side of the lateral trough sectionadjacent to the top edge of the lateral trough section; the bracketportion including an outer projecting member, an inner projecting memberand a connecting member to form the U-shaped bracket portion, the outerprojecting member positionable outside the lateral trough section, theouter projecting member configured for receipt of a fastener engageablewith the lateral trough section, the inner projecting memberpositionable inside the lateral trough section, the connecting memberpositionable adjacent to the top edge of the lateral trough section, thebracket portion including first and second ends, and a middletherebetween; first and second lead-in portions extending upwardly fromthe bracket portion at the first and second ends, respectively, eachlead-in portion converging toward the other lead-in portion andextending in an upward direction when the exit trough is mounted to thelateral trough section, each lead-in portion including a downwardlydepending flange defining a cable pathway between the flange and theinner projecting member of the bracket portion; an exit trough portionextending from the middle of the bracket portion in a direction awayfrom the lateral trough section when the exit trough is mounted to thelateral trough section, the exit trough portion defining a cable pathwayin communication with each cable pathway of each lead-in portion, theexit trough portion including a convexly curved bottom trough surface,and two convexly curved, upstanding side surfaces on opposite sides ofthe bottom trough surface.
 2. The cable exit trough of claim 1, whereinthe exit trough portion is a first exit trough portion, and furthercomprising a second exit trough portion communicating with the firstexit trough portion, the second exit trough portion having a downwardlycurved shape defining a downspout when the exit trough is mounted to thelateral trough section.
 3. The cable exit trough of claim 1, wherein theexit trough portion is a first exit trough portion, and furthercomprising a second exit trough portion communicating with the firstexit trough portion, the second exit trough portion having a lateralportion defining a generally horizontally extending section when theexit trough is mounted to the lateral trough section.
 4. The cable exittrough of claim 1, further comprising a fastener and a lateral troughsection, the lateral trough section including a bottom portion and twoupstanding sides, each side terminating in a top edge, the fastenermounting the bracket portion to one of the sides wherein the inner andouter projecting members of the bracket portion receive the side withthe connecting member of the bracket portion adjacent to the top edge ofthe side, the exit trough defining a cable pathway leading upwardly andaway from the lateral trough section.
 5. A method of assembling a cablerouting system comprising the steps of: providing a lateral troughsection; mounting a cable exit trough to a top edge of the lateraltrough section; routing a cable from the lateral trough section upwardlyand transversely to the exit trough.
 6. The method of claim 5, whereinthe cable passes through the exit trough and passes in a downwarddirection relative to the lateral trough section as the cable exits theexit trough.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the cable passes throughthe exit trough and passes in a horizontal direction relative to thelateral trough section as the cable exits the exit trough.